Chapter 24
Tatyana
“You told him you were shot?” Sándor’s eyebrows went up.
Tatyana was lounging on the couch, waiting for Kezia to arrive in her office. “No, but I told him about the attack.”
“But not that you took an arrow through your belly?”
“What would be the point of it?” She gestured to her stomach. “The wound has almost healed. A couple more days and it will be like it was never there.”
Sándor shrugged. “It is up to you, but if I had a mate and she did not tell me she was injured, I would be angry with her.”
“Why?”
He frowned. “Because that is something that you share with your blood mate.”
“Why?” Tatyana refused to feel that she was in the wrong for this. “If you could do nothing to help, and she knew that it would only make you angry that you had not protected her, why?”
Sándor grunted but said nothing else.
A few moments later, Kezia arrived in her office, breezing in as if it was her own office. “How long do we think this will take?”
“Killing Ivan?” Tatyana muttered. “Or plotting to kill Ivan? Ideally the actual murder will be quite quick.”
Kezia situated herself on an embroidered sofa. “So human of you to call it a murder. So quaint.”
“Assassination?”
“Precaution,” Kezia said. “And justice. Since your husband-to-be seems reluctant to sacrifice his own brother as we sacrificed ours.”
“You were happy to get rid of Vano. No one liked him.”
“I don’t think any of Oleg’s clan are particularly fond of Ivan.”
“Wrong,” Tatyana said. “The Muscovite vampires adore him. I saw it myself in Moscow.”
Sándor was looking between the two of them as if watching a particularly amusing tennis match. “Since whatever we call it, we are planning to deal with Ivan Sokholov ourselves, perhaps we should continue this meeting.”
“Right.” Kezia grinned. “The chaugan match is tomorrow night. Perhaps we can assassinate him there.”
“That is not advisable,” Sándor said. “Rudov’s estate, unlike Pavel’s, is heavily guarded, and in the speed and confusion of the match, there is too great a chance that the wrong person or one of the animals could get hurt.”
Poshani could be casual about harming vampires or humans outside the clan, but horses? Horses and dogs were always protected. Only a true monster would harm a companion animal.
“Ivan is staying at Pavel’s house.” Sándor tried to direct the meeting. “This would normally be ideal because Pavel’s security tends to be quite light, but something must have happened because tonight he has doubled the guards.”
“And during the day?” Kezia proposed. “There are very adept darigan guards who can take on the job.”
“Ivan has human guards who are often more skilled than his vampire ones,” Sándor said. “But there are not as many of them here in Saint Petersburg for the wedding. A daylight attack might be the better option.”
“I don’t like putting human Poshani at risk,” Tatyana said. “Ivan has already gotten too many of our people killed.”
“Which would motivate the darigan to our cause,” Kezia said. “Do not underestimate the Poshani desire for revenge. We can choose the right people.”
“Pavel’s house is not known for its fortifications. He relies too much on his electronic monitoring. He has seismic sensors under his house and only cameras on the roof.”
“Earth vampire,” Kezia muttered.
That little detail told Tatyana that the greatest threat Pavel perceived was not from outsiders but from his own clan, most of whom were earth vampires as he was.
Sándor nodded. “If we infiltrated the house during the day, the darigan can rid the human guards, which are not extensive, and then all they would have to contend with would be Ivan’s human guards and getting through whatever security Pavel has for his day chambers.”
“I don’t like this idea.” Tatyana knew just how many precautions she took in her own day rest, and Ivan was likely more paranoid than her. “I think a night attack would be better. When he’s away from his home or Pavel’s. Somewhere out in the open with less fortification.”
“Perhaps Tatyana le Tala wants to make more snowmen,” Kezia smirked. “I would enjoy seeing Ivan wrapped in snow. One quick slice with the axe…” She made a rolling motion with her two hands. “Delightful.”
Tatyana looked at Sándor. “Really?”
“You cannot expect the Hazar not to gossip about that.” Sándor was trying to stop his smile with little success. “None of us have seen a vampire encased in snow like that. It was a brilliant use of your amnis.”
“I don’t need to kill Ivan myself,” Tatyana kept her voice low. She heard voices just outside her office door. “It simply needs to be done.”
Sándor glanced over his shoulder at the voices. He lowered his voice as well. “I do have another idea, but it may take some time.”
“Tell us,” Kezia said.
“Ivan hosts a card game every month with some of his lieutenants and favored business partners. Usually at one of his warehouses on the outskirts of Moscow. My informants tell me he is often alone there with very few guards.”
Tatyana frowned. “That sounds ideal, but it also sounds very private. Not easy to infiltrate.”
“As I said, it would take time.” Sándor nodded.
“It would not be before the wedding. It may take months, but there are Hazar who can pose as Poshani who worked with Vano and were cast out. It could give them an in to Ivan’s organization, and with so many of the Muscovite Rus out of the city, now might be a good time to introduce them.
People’s attention is shifted to Saint Petersburg. ”
Kezia and Tatyana exchanged a look.
“It’s not a horrible idea,” Kezia said. “And we have waited five years already.”
Sándor continued. “Once these men are trusted and in a position where they can find out when Ivan will be at a particular warehouse, we can stage an attack. Conceal it to make it look like the Bashkir clan that attacked your mother’s house turned on Ivan.
I had the Hazar collect the arrows from that night. ”
“I like how you think,” Kezia said.
Sándor turned to her. “Terrin Tatyana?”
Tatyana nodded. “As long as Ivan is gone, I can be patient.”
“Good.” Sándor closed his notebook. “I have some Hazar in mind. I’ll contact them tonight.”
“Lady Tatyana.”
She didn’t look over her shoulder until she heard her husband’s voice even though her amnis had come to life as he approached.
Her heart thudded in her chest. Damn her blood. Their blood. The desire was immediate and overwhelming.
“Lord Oleg.”
She was standing in the middle of the concert hall again, elevated on a platform and facing a wall of mirrors with gilt trim while seamstresses worked on the hem of her golden wedding dress.
Diana rushed over. “Lord Oleg, how are you tonight?”
His smile was indulgent. “I am well, Diana. And you?”
Her cheeks pinked. “I am happy to be of service to Lady Tatyana, and I know that there is no tradition or custom prohibiting you from seeing the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony; however, for her modesty—”
“Her modesty?” Oleg stared at her in the mirror. “Ah, yes. I see.”
Tatyana realized her breasts were nearly hanging out of the dress as she had not donned the heavy silk tunic that would go under the outer dress.
It certainly wasn’t anything Oleg hadn’t seen before, but the entire dressmaking staff didn’t need to know that.
“Lord Oleg, perhaps I can meet you in your library in…” Tatyana looked down.
The head couturier sighed. “Give us at least half an hour more, my lady. We must make sure you can walk.”
“Of course.” She looked at Oleg in the mirror, who appeared to be staring at her breasts. “Forty minutes? Would that be convenient?”
“Convenient, no. Acceptable, yes.” With one last look, Oleg turned and walked out of the room.
Diana circled around and faced her. “I hope that was all right.”
“Of course.” Tatyana glanced at her. “Your first loyalty is to me. Whether I am in Warsaw or Saint Petersburg.” She waited a beat. “Or Moscow.”
She saw a flicker of something in Diana’s eyes.
“Perhaps we should speak later,” Tatyana said softly. “I have a question for you, but it is private.”
Sándor had done another background check on Diana, but save for a questionable amount of money spent shopping, there was nothing that should have been a threat.
Tatyana had decided to take the direct approach, but not in front of Oleg’s seamstresses.
“Of course.” Diana’s cheeks were pink again. “Is there anything you’d like me to prepare for your appointment with Lord Oleg?”
“Just a change of clothes.”
“Of course.” Diana ran for the exit.
“Diana?”
The woman stopped at the door.
“Something warm and casual,” Tatyana said. “This is my only night in this week. There is no need to get dressed up just to speak to my fiancé.”
“Of course, Tatyana.” Diana corrected herself. “Terrin Tatyana.”
Half an hour later, the seamstresses had their measurements, and Tatyana was dressed in a comfortable pair of wool trousers and a cashmere pullover, which was Diana’s version of sweatpants and a hoodie.
She walked to the library with her Hazar guards, leaving them at the door when she knocked and heard Oleg’s voice.
“Enter.”
The Hazar opened the door for her but remained outside.
Tatyana walked in to find Oleg sitting by the fireplace, balancing a ball of fire in his palm and reading a book.
He looked up and motioned to the sofa across from him. “Thank you for sparing the time for me.”
“My schedule is very crowded, but I am happy to make the time.”
“This time next week, it will not be so.” His eyes were gleaming. “Then you will be my wife.”
She raised an eyebrow. Aren’t I already?
He read her expression, and the corner of his mouth turned up. “My wife. For all the world to see.”
“I understand that we are to attend a polo match tomorrow night at Rudov’s estate. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? I have plans to practice my riding later tonight with Sándor. I’m assuming that since it’s in the snow, spectators will be riding to the field.”